Banjo fifth string tuning peg



2. .1964 J. B. THOMPSON 3, 97

BANJO FIFTH swam: TUNING PEG Filed Oct- 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'Pica.4 v FiE-E INVENTOR. JO5EPHU5 5 Tho/W050:

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 28, 1964 J. B. THOMPSON 3,119,297

BANJO FIFTH STRING TUNING PEG Filed Oct 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jose nus 5. THOMPSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,119,25W BANFO FIFTH STRING TIJNlNG PEG Filed Oct. ll, M62, Ser. No. 229,$tti 7 Claims. (Cl. a r-sea) This invention relates to tuning pegs for stringed musical instruments.

More particularly, the invention relates to the type of peg employing frictional means which acts to prevent casual rotation or loosening of the stem to which the string is connected.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a peg of the character mentioned which is especially adapted for use in connection with the fifth string of a banjo.

A further object is to provide such a fifth string banjo peg whose frictional and mounting surfaces are without taper so that there is no possibility of tilting or rocking of the interfitted elements under shock or vibration, even after long use.

Another object is to provide a tuning peg, of the type stated, whose rotatable string tensioning stem is devoid of any threaded portions so that the vibration of the tensioned string cannot jar the stem out of adjustment due to minute movements of interfitted threaded parts, as is the case with prior art devices.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims, together with the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts are referred to and indicated by like reference numerals, and wherein:

FlGURE 1 is a perspective view of the head and neck of a banjo, showing the fifth string turning peg, that is the subject of this invention, mounted thereon, with the fifth string anchored thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the peg taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of HG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the peg;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the peg stem mounting socket;

PEGURE 5 is a top plan view of the socket;

FEGURE 6 is a perspective view of an alternative type of mounting socket for the peg stem;

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view of the same;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of another type of mounting socket assembly;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of same showing it mounted in a barrio neck;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of still another type of mounting socket for the peg stem; and

FIGURE 11 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is seen in "ElGURE 1 the banjo fifth string tuning peg, that is the subject of this invention, broadly indicated by reference numeral l'll, mounted on the neck ll of a banjo in tensioned engagement with the iifth, or E, string l4 thereof, the other four strings of the banjo being anchored to conventional tuning pegs 13 mounted through the banjo head 12.

Reference numeral 16 indicates a cylindrical mounting socket having an end wall 29 and external ribs 17.

The socket in has a hexagonal bore 13 therein terminating at a seat 19 on the end wall 2d, as is seen in Fl"- U-RE 4.

While the bore 13 is shown as being preferably hexagonal shape, it is to be understood that any multi-sided shape, other than circular, may be used.

A bore 2i, through the end wall Zil, is centered in the "ice seat 19. The bore 21 is coutner-sunk to receive the head of a wood screw 32.

The socket i6 is mounted in a straight sided blind hole in the side of the banjo neck ll, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The diameter of the mounting hole is such that it will receive the socket through a forced fit. The longitudinal socket ribs 17 act to prevent rotation of the socket in the bore, and, as a further precaution, a wood screw 32 is seated in the end wml bore 21 and drawn up tight in the wooden neck ill, to assure firm anchorage of the socket.

The head of the screw 32 is positioned below the plane of the socket seat 19 when the screw is fully drawn up.

The socket bore 18 is internally threaded, as at 22, part way therein, leaving an unthreaded hexagonal portion ill, adjacent the seat 19.

Reference numeral 15 indicates a smooth cylindrical stern having a head disc 24 at one end and a handle mounting neck 29 at the other end.

A diametrical, string anchoring bore 23 is located proximate the neck 29.

A hexagonal-shaped collar 25, having a smooth central bore 34, is slidably fitted on the stem 15, behind the head 24.

An externally threaded pressure sleeve 26, having a shaped head 33 and a smooth longitudinal bore 27, is slidably fitted on the stem 15 behind the collar 25 A lock nut 28 is threadedly mounted on the sleeve 25.

A handle 3%} is mounted on the neck 29 of the stem 15 and is held in place by a screw 31.

The stem 15 is inserted in the socket in with the head 24 hearing against the seat l? and the collar 25 fitted in the hexagonal bore 18, fixed against rotation relative to the bore 18 but freely movable longitudinally thereof on the stem 15.

The sleeve 26 is screwed into the threaded bore 22 against the collar 25, as seen in FIGURE 2.

By drawing the sleeve 26 up against the collar 25, the collar 25 is moved against the stem head 2 to press it into frictional engagement with the socket seat l By proper adjustment of the sleeve 26 it is possible to create the desired frictional drag between the head 24- and the seat 19 to hold the stern and its attached fifth string id at any desired tension. The lock nut 28 is then screwed against the exposed end of the socket 16 to hold the pressure sleeve 25 in locked position.

The so adjusted stem 15 is rotatable by the handle in the usual string tuning manner.

A study of FlGU RE 2 will indicate that the rotating head 24- moves against the stationary seat 19 under pres sure exerted against it by non-rotatable collar 25 which is in turn under pressure from the sleeve 26.

Furthermore, the stem 15 is journaled in the smooth bore of the sleeve 26.

Thus, rotation of the stem 15 by the handle Bill is effected through parts having no inter-acting threaded elements that might be subject to loosening due to the rotation or vibration of the stem 15, communicated thereto by the playing of the tensioned fifth string 14.

A peg ltl, so constructed, will hold its adjustment indefinitely and the stem 15 may be turned any number of times in either direction without loosening up.

An alternate type of socket anchoring construction suitable for use in the softer types of wood now being used to make banjo necks, since native hard woods are becoming more scarce, is shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, broadly indicated by reference numeral 40.

In this type the socket outer wall 41 is knurled and the end wall 42 has two longitudinally extending blades 43 and 44 positioned thereon diametrically of the end wall on either side of screw hole 45.

The blades 43 and 45 have sharp edges and when the socket 49 is driven into a blind hole in the neck, the blades cut into the wood beyond the end of the hole and act to positively anchor the socket 46) against rotation in the neck hole. A wood screw is then driven into the neck through the socket hole 45, to prevent withdrawal of the socket from the hole, as is the case with socket 16, described hereinabove.

Another type of socket anchoring construction is indicated by reference numeral Sil, as seen in FIGURES 8 and 9.

In this type the socket 50 has external threads 52 and a hexagonal head 51 adapted to be fitted into a wrench.

A longitudinally extending semi-circular threaded groove 53 is cut in the outside wall of the head and socket.

The groove 53 is adapted to receive a lock screw 54 which it fits half-way around, leaving the other half of the screw exposed.

In mounting this socket, a hole is drilled in the banjo neck 11 having a diameter equal to the minor diameter of the socket thread 52. A wrench is mounted on the head 51 and the socket threads are made to cut their way into the walls of the hole.

A second hole is then drilled into the neck, having its center on the center of the semi-circular groove 53, of a diameter equal to the minor diameter of the threads of the lock screw 54.

The screw 54 is then driven into the so-formed hole and threaded groove 53, to take the position illustrated in FIGURE 9, wherein it is shown positioned to prevent relative rotation between the socket d and its mounting hole in the banjo neck 11.

Reference numeral 60 indicates still another type of socket anchoring construction, as illustrated in FIGURES and 11.

In this form the socket 60 has a laterally extending ear 62 positioned at its top end and a knurled body 61.

The ear 62 has a hole 63 therethrough for a wood screw.

In mounting this type the socket 6% is driven into a tight fitting blind hole in the neck of the banjo until the ear 62 rests against the neck surface.

A wood screw is mounted through the hole 63 and driven into the wood of the neck until its head is drawn tightly against the upper surface of the ear. The screw anchors the socket 6% against withdrawal from, and rotation in, the mounting hole of the banjo neck.

It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth.

While the invention has been disclosed in preferred and alternate forms, it is to be understood that the specific embodiments thereof as described and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense, as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to comewithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A banjo fifth string tuning peg, comprising in combination, a cylindrical socket adapted to be fixed in the neck of a banjo; the socket having a bore therein which is circular threaded in one part, and which is non-circular in cross-section through another part and which terminates in an end wall defining a fiat seat; an externally threaded sleeve rotatably mounted in the socket bore having a smooth centered bore therethrough; a string retaining stem slidably and rotatably journaled through the sleeve bore, the so-journaled stem having a flat head at one end thereof engageable with the socket seat, and a handle at the other end thereof spaced outwardly of the sleeve, that portion of the stem between the sleeve and the handle defining a drum with which, in practice, the string is connected; and a collar of non-circular outer configuration slidably mounted on the stem between the sleeve and the head, adapted to slidably interfit the non-circular portion of the socket bore in non-rotating engagement, thereby defining a second journal for the stem; the sleeve being adapted 4 upon rotation to move the collar against the stem head to press the head into graduated frictional engagement with the socket seat.

2. A banjo fifth string tuning peg comprising in combination, a cylindrical socket adapted to be fixed in the neck of a banjo; the socket having a bore therein which is circular threaded in one part, and which is hexagonal in cross-section through another part and which terminates in an end wall defining a flat seat; an externally threaded sleeve rotatably mounted in the socket bore having a smooth centered bore therethrough; a string retaining stem slidably and rotatably journaled through the sleeve bore, the sojournaled stern having a flat head at one end thereof engageable with the socket seat, and a handle at the other end thereof spaced outwardly of the sleeve, that portion of the stern between the sleeve and the handle defining a drum with which, in practice, the string is connected; and a collar of hexagonal outer configuration slidably mounted on the stem between the sleeve and the head, adapted to slidably interfit the hexagonal portion of the socket bore in non-rotating engagement, thereby defining a second journal for the stem; the sleeve being adapted, upon rotation, to move the collar against the stem head to press the head into graduated frictional engagement with the socket seat.

3. A device of the type defined in claim 2, and further distinguished by the socket having a counter-sunk bore through the end wall thereof, a plurality of spaced and parallel longitudinally extending ribs on the peripheral face thereof, and an anchor screw mounted through the counter-sunk bore.

4. A banjo fifth string tuning peg, comprising in combination, a cylindrical socket adapted to be fixed in the neck of a banjo; the socket having a bore therein which is circular threadedin one part, and which is non-circular in cross-section through another part and which terminates in an end wall defining a fiat seat; a string retaining stem rotatably journaled in the socket and movable longitudinally thereof toward and away from the seat; the so journaled stem having a flat head at one end thereof engagable with the socket seat and an operating handle at the other end thereof; a collar of non-circular outer configuration slidably mounted on the stem behind the head, adapted to slidably int-erfit the non-circular portion of the socket bore in non-rotating engagement; and pressure means for urging the collar against the stem head to press the head into graduated frictional engagement with the socket seat.

5. A socket as in claim 4 having longitudinally extending blades positioned diametrically of the base end of the socket to prevent rotation of the socket relative to its mounting hole in the neck of a banjo.

6. A socket as in claim 4 having an externally threaded body, a semi-circular threaded groove extending the length of the body threaded surface, and a threaded key adapted to be seated in said groove, between the groove and the wall of the socket mounting hole in the banjo neck, to lock the socket against rotation therein.

7. A socket as in claim 4 having a laterally extending ear, said ear having a bore therethrough, parallel to and spaced from the socket body, and an anchoring wood screw adapted to be seated in said bore in threaded engagement with the neck of the banjo to prevent both rotation and withdrawal of the socket from its mounting hole in the banjo neck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 504,024 Dietz Aug. 2'9, 1893 528,013 McKenzie Oct. 23, 1894 871,158 Babbitt Nov. 19, 1907 1,672,348 Sharpe June 5, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 424,863 France Mar. 24, 1911 

1. A BANJO FIFTH STRING TUNING PEG, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A CYLINDRICAL SOCKET ADAPTED TO BE FIXED IN THE NECK OF A BANJO; THE SOCKET HAVING A BORE THEREIN WHICH IS CIRCULAR THREADED IN ONE PART, AND WHICH IS NON-CIRCULAR IN CROSS-SECTION THROUGH ANOTHER PART AND WHICH TERMINATES IN AN END WALL DEFINING A FLAT SEAT; AN EXTERNALLY THREADED SLEEVE ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE SOCKET BORE HAVING A SMOOTH CENTERED BORE THERETHROUGH; A STRING RETAINING STEM SLIDABLY AND ROTATABLY JOURNALED THROUGH THE SLEEVE BORE, THE SO-JOURNALED STEM HAVING A FLAT HEAD AT ONE END THEREOF ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SOCKET SEAT, AND A HANDLE AT THE OTHER END THEREOF SPACED OUTWARDLY OF THE SLEEVE, THAT PORTION OF THE STEM BETWEEN THE SLEEVE AND THE HANDLE DEFINING A DRUM WITH WHICH, IN PRACTICE, THE STRING IS CONNECTED; AND A COLLAR OF NON-CIRCULAR OUTER CONFIGURATION SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE STEM BETWEEN THE SLEEVE AND THE HEAD, ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY INTERFIT THE NON-CIRCULAR PORTION OF THE SOCKET BORE IN NON-ROTATING ENGAGEMENT, THEREBY DEFINING A SECOND JOURNAL FOR THE STEM; THE SLEEVE BEING ADAPTED UPON ROTATION TO MOVE THE COLLAR AGAINST THE STEM HEAD TO PRESS THE HEAD INTO GRADUATED FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SOCKET SEAT. 